Phylogenetic analyses and diterpenoid production by marine bacteria of the genus Saprospira.

The relationship between 16S rRNA gene sequence-derived phylogeny and the bacterial production of diterpenoids from 18 isolates of marine bacteria belonging to the genus Saprospira was determined. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of the PCR amplified 16S rRNA genes of these isolates indicated four distinct phylotypes. The terpenoid metabolite profiles of each phylotype, determined by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses, indicated that diterpenoid production was restricted to phylotype A, which included the type specimen S. grandis Gross, and the sole member of the closely related phylotype B. The discovery of two new neoverrucosane diterpenoids produced by phylotype B has also been documented.